MARKET
FOR PIEZOELECTRIC CERAMIC AND POLYMER DEVICES TO ALMOST DOUBLE IN FIVE YEARS

According to a
new market research study from Innovative Research and Products (iRAP)
titled "Piezoelectric Ceramic, Polymer, and
Ceramic/polymer composite Devices - Types, Materials, Applications, New
Developments, Industry structure and Global Markets", the
global market for traditional piezoelectric devices is quite mature. However,
the global market for new piezoelectric devices will see a robust two-digit
growth rate in next five years.

The new market
study identified eleven major types of piezoelectric ceramic, polymer and
ceramic/polymer devices. The current market was estimated to have reached
over U.S. $21 billion and is expected to reach $38.4 billion by 2017.

New
applications are emerging for piezoelectric devices, which include applications
based on actuators, ultrasonic motors, sensor arrays for structural health
monitoring, transformers and micro-energy harvesting devices which are an
alternative to batteries in microwatt devices. Other new applications include
high resolution ultrasonic medical imaging, computer disk drives, and accelerometers
in mobile phones and notebooks.

Unlike other
piezo devices, commercialization of piezoelectric-operated actuators and motors
is likely to proceed in those markets where the specific advantages of high
torque, high precision and lack of magnetic interference are particularly
useful. When the costs can be lowered to competitive levels, and remaining
technical problems such as frictional wear can be solved, piezoelectric motors
may also become candidates in areas such as automotive accessories, where very
high volume markets are possible.

Other major
findings of this report are:

·Among the current applications, the largest share goes to equipment for
semiconductor manufacturing and testing, lab equipment, sensors and
accelerators. The next biggest segment is piezo devices used in mobile phones,
digital cameras, laptops and other consumer electronic equipment, where piezo
devices used include six categories of devices - ultrasonic motors, piezo
transformers, resonators, acoustic devices, sensors (primarily SAW sensors),
and piezo generators. This is followed by medical transducers,
mini-grippers, dentist tools, ultrasonic non-destructive testing, vibration
testing, welding and cleaning, telecommunication, traffic control, piezo print heads,
gas ignitions and diesel injectors. Sonar for military and civil use
constitutes the final segment..

·Among the eleven product-type market segments, actuators have the
largest share of the market, followed by ultrasonic motors, sonar, piezo sensors
and accelerators, acoustic devices, and smaller shares for Langevin actuators,
piezo transformers, resonators and other miscellaneous types.

·New devices such as piezoelectric generators will see the highest growth
rate from 2012 to 2017. This category is followed by ceramic resonators, and
miscellaneous applications (acousto-optic modulators in telecommunication
engineering, vibrators, diesel/gasoline injectors and dentistry surgery tools).